Mexican court suspends GM maize field trails

A Mexican federal court judge has issued an order suspending field trials of genetically modified (GM) corn from moving forward, citing risks of imminent environmental harm.

The cultivation of (GM) corn has been banned in Mexico since 1998 however in recently the government has made moves to allow the practice in an effort to increase the crop's production.

Which prompted the filing of a lawsuit in July this year by a coalition of 53 groups and individuals, including scientists, activists and human rights groups, to block field trials of GM corn planned by most of the major international corn seed companies in Mexico.

Mexico imports roughly one third of the corn it consumes, mainly for livestock feed. It is the US's corn industries second largest export market, after Japan. And the news of the ban created some concerns within the US corn industry.

Andrew Conner, manager of global technology for the US Grains Council was quoted by Agriculture.com as saying, "The issue at hand relates to cultivation. ..... we have no reason to believe that what is happening now, with the ruling of the judge, will spill over and affect imports.

The groups say they aim to eventually turn the suspension into an outright ban.